Welcome to the electronic newsletter from Grand Haven Charter Township! Stay informed on what is happening in the township. This newsletter will deliver up-to-date information including upcoming meetings, development news, township services and more! You can always find more information on our website or Facebook .

Village at Rosy Mound Senior Housing In 2016, the Grand Haven Charter Township and Grand Haven City completed a joint Master Planning process to help ensure that the communities were working in a collaborative fashion to address the on-going growth. One of the major goals from this planning process was to “ support multiple housing options ” – including senior housing. The Village at Rosy Mound senior housing development was approved in response to this goal. The initial phase of this 253-unit development is about 40% complete and scheduled to open this Fall.  There has been overwhelming interest in this senior housing development with about 70% of the available units “pre-leased.” That said, there are still many units available including one-bedroom units, two-bedroom units and cottages.  If you are interested in speaking with a representative about the Village at Rosy Mound , please call 616-935-2220, email villageatrosymound@heritagepmi.com , or you can review additional information online at www.villageatrosymound.com .

Act 425 Agreement In another collaborative measure, Grand Haven Charter Township and the City of Grand Haven approved an Act 425 agreement for the Robbins Centre Pointe development on the south side of Robbins Road. Although most of the land within this commercial development is located within the Township, two of the parcels were located in the City of Grand Haven. To simplify the development process, the City agreed to transfer the two parcels into the Township. Further, the Township agreed to provide all services to the development – except for police – and to levy the City’s millage rate on the property. The Township will annually collect the higher City millage rate on this development, subtract an amount equal to the Township’s tax rate and return the excess to the City. The developer benefits because the Act 425 agreement will simplify the approval and construction process, the City benefits with increased property tax revenues, and the Township benefits through the commercial redevelopment of this property.  The photo below shows the removal of the first of ten buildings that will be razed during the commercial redevelopment of this property.

Resilient Grand Haven Charter Township

The Michigan Association of Planning invited the Township’s Community Development Director – Stacey Fedewa – to be a panelist at their annual Spring Institute. About 130 participants attended the event including community planners, elected officials, environmental professionals, water resource experts, regional planners, drain commissioners, and public works professionals. The 2018 conference was dedicated to resiliency, and as noted earlier, the Township and City adopted resilient Master Plans in 2016 through a joint planning process. Why is resiliency important? Flooding, heavy storms and other weather-related catastrophes are expected to increase in the coming years. The fiscal impact on infrastructure and the built environment is estimated to be in the billions. However, the impacts can be mitigated through intentional local government action by planning thoughtfully, securing the right data, educating the community, and implementing a common-sense resilience policy as part of community planning and zoning. Because this joint Master Plan project focused on resiliency, Grand Haven Charter Township and Grand Haven City were invited to jointly apply for the Daniel Burnham for Comprehensive Plan award from the Michigan Association of Planning. This is considered a “premier award” for planners.

Clean 2017 Financial Audit

Although “clean” financial audits – with no weaknesses or deficiencies – are typical for the Grand Haven Charter Township, the work of the elected officials and staff should not go unrecognized.  The Township continues to have very little debt, strong cash reserves, and sound accounting and investment procedures. The result is a “ AA/Stable ” fiscal rating from Standard and Poors, which is considered an exceptional rating for a small community. If you would like an electronic copy of the Township’s most recent financial audit, please contact Finance Director Andrea Sandoval at asandoval@ght.org .

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